Environment Minister’s Council AbolishedAustralia’s environment ministers will no longer meet as a group to tackle common environmental issues.The COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water was abolished at the council’s meeting on 13 December 2013, the first since the federal Coalition was elected. “Too much bureaucracy and red tape has grown up around COAG,” the meeting communiqué said. COAG decided 22 standing committees “should be streamlined and refocused on COAG’s priorities over the next 12-18 months”. Of the eight new committees none will deal with environment, water or climate change issues.Go to the former Standing Council on Environment and Water website at http://www.scew.gov.au/nepms/air-toxics